I purchased the Thule fit kit today, and I'm dissapointed with the fit. The clamp that extends into the door jamb does not really align properly with door frame.

My objective is to mount a Thule #631 Summit box on my A4.

Question: Does anyone have experience with mounting a Thule box on the factory rack? Anyone have pictures?

Question #2: Can anyone verify that the factory rack provides a better fit and overall interface with the door/frame than the Thule arrangement?

Many thanks.

My Thule rack is now on its fifth car - two coupe quattro's, two A4's, and now my new S4. The fit is rock solid, and I have a bike on the roof several times a week, year round. I've never had any problem whatever with the fit, which makes me wonder why you're having problems.

Do you have the footpads properly adjusted? Mine has a slight ridge that fits into the rain groove on the roof. With the footpad in that location, the clamp lines up perfectly with the marks on the inside of the door jamb. The factory rack couldn't be a better fit, because the Thule fits perfectly.

DMoore
'00 S4

I would have to agree with the general Thule comments. My rack started on a Pathfinder, and has just been transfered to the Avant. With the proper fitment, it fits like a glove to the factory roof rails. I have no complaint with Thule at all. I would suggest taking it to your retailer. They should be able to straighten it out.

When I was in college, I sold and installed Thule racks on a wide variety of vehicles while working for a ski shop. Some fit kits are truly custom made with multiple bends to accomadate the contours of a specific vehicle's door frame and seal (like the Pathfinder kit), while others have a single bend that doesn't completely follow the contours of its intended doorframe (like the the one in the A4 kit - #249).

If you look closely, you will notice that the clamp really doesn't trace the contours of your door frame as well as it could (though it does produce a solid connection to the roof). Furthermore, because the Thule footpad is absolutely FLAT, while the A4's roof has a slight radius at front mounting point, and a small radius at the rear mounting point, the rack is does NOT align well until significant tension is applied. I am concerned that this tension will eventually distort both the seal of my rear door over time.

I am transferring my Thule rack from an '89 Pathfinder. I have used this rack on other vehicles as well with the proper fit kits. In fact, I am considering using the short-roofline adaptor from the Pathfinder on my A4 to overcome the fit issue and to create wider bar placement (better for ski boxes). I am confident that I am fitting the rack properly - thanks for your concern and comments.

I'd still like to know if anyone has installed the factory rack and can offer any views on the comparison to to the Thule fit.

Thanks in advance.

Thule told me you cannot mount their cargo boxes on the factory crossbars (if that's what you are contemplating). I don't necessarily believe them, but they claim that their testing resulted in a catastrophic failure using the factory bars. I have those bars and do not see how they could separate from the car under those circumstances. Thule refused my request for documentation or details. I'd be curious to hear what they tell you if you call them.

Bill-

Thanks for your reply. Your earlier post indicated that you were using the factory crossbars on an Avant. I have the sedan, and I am looking for input on accessory towers and bars sold by Audi for sedans.

I can tell you this: Not only is Thule trying to avoid any potential liability for one of their boxes flying your Avant rack, but you would be taking a risk yourself by ignoring Thule's advice. I doubt that the rack on the Avant is as strong as Thule or Audi's clamp-down rack. Where your Avant rack is probably attached to sheetmetal in the roof with rivets, an accessory rack (Thule or Audi) generates significant clamping down force and tension around your car's structural door frame

I doubt that load capacity of the Avant bars is as high as Thule bars to begin with, and I have a suspicion that the Avant rack's attachment scheme is as secure as the Audi or Thule clamp-down system.

Most people use a rack to carry bikes, skis, luggage - all of which costs far more than the $150-400 investment in a good rack that will outlive your current car, and adapt to the next.
Why risk it?

I think there's some confusion here. The issue isn't the Audi longitudinal factory racks, which all Avants have from factory. I believe they are VERY securely fastened to car's structure and Thule has no problem with them.

The issue is what CROSS-BARS to attach to the factory longitudinal rails. I have the Audi crossbars, and I still think their attachment method to the long rails seems extremely secure. Thule says only to use their own crossbars, which they say are fine to attach to the long factory rails.

Audi actually sells a large cargo box to go on the Audi crossbars. It's expensive, but I doubt that it will cause the Audi crossbars to come flying off the car, just as I doubt the Thule box would cause this type of failure. Thule's refusal to provide any documentation of their claims makes me all the more suspicious.

If I had more time, I would try to get NHTSA to investigagte this, because if Thule is correct, then the Audi crossbars should certainly be recalled, since undoubtedly people will mount cargo boxes on them. And if Thule is not correct, for whatever reason, they should be told to stop predicting doom for those who have Audi crossbars.